TETRA# * T . t i T K I \ , hmm.
Tetrao tetri*, L in n . Faun. Suec., p. 73.
— jtmiperortun, Brehm, Vdg. Deutsefci., p.
rupestria, Brt-lim/flnd.. p. 613.
Urogallm tetri*, Kaup, Nstnrh,Swt., ju.Jtì#,
lymrus tetri*, Swaiv- Fan#. Bor.,'Aut«r
How little intérést would attach tò any •-.*?>•, • <&&&$&. nnt ttMXW among
i houli Infinite, indeed, is the variation twi .*•> of animated
ort atures ! ^Nature evidently revels in rarMj^HBB -.ék - v,„-.vj . •,
does h o t derive pleasure from viewing the is-...
higher regions of.»Asia, o r the brilliant F lvcaieiv^ ? pi
the Trochilkfar o f the New World, or the Bird* d$ jfViifiijwfarf
variations, both of form and colouring, lyjphrh 1 Iv#!# callidi tbrtii
by iny observing th at in like manner a g tra i «1% >.•»• »«. <olmmh hut
important family o f Birds the Tetràonidee, o r fliitii|nf|i>|iiiii>'||i étifoifi = ;.<?. ; vr;u ^s-. ¡.¡^/»red especiafiv
conspicuous by the remarkable lyre-shaped tad A‘ the male, w$ncb is »utf&eKwttv to & cry one from
its being worn in the'bonnets o f our northern neighbour» as an emblem h then cMn.trv. c,. ' well mav the
Highlander be proud o f this noble bird« since ii is in bis portion o f the British Islands that it is principally
foutrd ; for irbile. with the exception of the (Inter Hebrides and the. Orkney Islands, the Blackcock is to be
met with in all the shires o f Scotland, from north to south, it is less numerous in many of the northern and
still more so in some o f the southern counties of England. In Ireland it does not now, if it ever did, exist ;
and o f those which inhabit certain parts o f England, some a t least have undoubtedly been introduced.
Out of England and Scotland, the Blackcock inhabits all the mountainous countries of Northern Europe,
many parts o f Germany, and some o f France, Switzerland, and Savoy, going further south than' either the
Capercailzie o r the Ptarmigan. Specimens from Switzerland ¡bare the tail much more produced than
those frequenting England and more northern countries ; and I have also seen examples from Siberia in
which that organ was.still more (indeed, extraordinarily) developed.
The Tetrao tetn x, although sometimes found in the 'heather, does not confine itself to the districts where
that plant is existent, but especially loves to dwell on the sides o f scrubby hills and sedgy bottoms that are
sufficiently dense to afford it shelter from the sight o f man and its other enemies. It readily perché! on t r s |
and bushes, dykes and stone walls, and such like. Its food consists o f the tops o f grasses and other vegetables,
to which are added seeds and grain when procurable ; neither does it reject the wild blauberries
and whortleberries; ripened haws are also greedily eaten {luring the months o f autumn and winter. It is polygamous
in its habits, but deserts the female as soon as the period o f incubation has passed, and then becomes
very shy and wary. Like some others o f the Grouse-tribe, the Great Snipe, and the Buff, the Blackcock
has its lek op meeting-place, where the males assemble, display themselves to the utmost advantage, and
fight for the females. These and other habits o f the bird are so well described in Mr. Lloyd’s * Game-Birds
and Wild Fowl o f Sweden and Norway,’ that I shall be excused for transcribing his account from persona)
observation :—
“ The sight of the Blackcock is reputed to be very piercing ; and its senses of bearing and seeing
exquisite, surpassing those of any of its confreres. Its flight, though somewhat noisy, is lighter than that of
the Capercailzie ; and it may often be seen flying both high in the air and to a long distance. Northern ornithologists
tell us ‘ it is a wild, shy, and crafty bird.’ To judge from its proceedings during the pairing-
season, it is certainly of a most pugnacious and savage disposition.
“ The Blackcock, like the Capercailzie, has its * lek-stalle ’ or pairing-ground. A morass, a 1 clearing ’
in the forast. or, it may be, the frozen surface of a lake is usually selected ; and to the same locality, unless
subjected to unusual disturbance, the birds resort for years together. The pairing-season usually
commences in the more central and southern portion of the peninsula about the middle o f March, or
perhaps somewhat later, and continues until the end o f May. But in the north, where the snow often covers
the ground until the spring is far advanced, it begins and terminates somewhat later. The birds repair
over night to the vicinity o f the ‘ lek stalle,’ where they assemble even before the first dawn o f day.
One and all make their appearance at the same time, the number depending on their abundance or